Finally Fever Free

It has been a week that I'm glad to put behind us. Our little Snickerdoodle developed a pretty high fever last Sunday. She kept that fever until about Friday when it went down a bit. According to our mid-week doctor's appointment,  it was just a lingering virus. She was pitiful!  She took her fluids well but she'd hardly eat...which is not my daughter at all.

I'm happy to say that by Saturday she was very low grade and was feeling much better despite a very runny nose and nasty sounding cough. This was wonderful news because one of my dearest friends had come into town. She hasn't seen G since she was a week old. It was so nice to catch up.

I hope we've got the sickness behind us. We stayed home from church on Sunday to get some much needed rest. G is finally fever free and we're on the mend. God is good!

Sporting her big girl ponytail

Linking up with Leslyn

They Can't Go Around Naked

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While it's true that baby bottoms are some of the cutest things you'll ever see, as responsible parents, it's our job to clothe them. If you're like me, you may be finding your little one growing out of everything she owns. This venture from "baby land" into "toddlerdom" is no joke. We were very blessed to receive so many gifts for G at our showers. In fact, unless I just wanted to, I didn't really have to buy her any necessitates until about 12 months, and even then it was just a couple things here and there...but now? She is comfortably wearing size 2t and those are just not clothing sizes that you typically get at baby showers. It's understandable considering new born, itty bitty clothes are virtually irresistible.

We skimped by in October since I had set a personal goal to not buy her any clothes for that month (you can read about it here). However, I quickly realized that most of her 18 month clothes are becoming too short (she's rocking the 80th percentile for height) and with winter weather creeping in, I needed to take some serious inventory of her fall/winter attire. This resulted in about 3 fleece pullovers, 5 pairs of adequate fitting pants, and about 8 shirts (and one snug winter coat). Needless to say, I realized it was time to bite the bullet and purchase some new clothing.

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Okay...maybe not that cold yet but this was seriously funny...

Now don't get me wrong, I adore buying new clothes for G and at times it has been a serious problem. Little girls just have so many cute options! However, with the purchase of new land, our soon to be forever home on the horizon, and other financial obligations, I try to remain savvy when it comes to clothes shopping.

If you're still in the blissful stages of having all the clothes your little one could possibly ever need, great! If not, here are a few of my favorite ways to save on clothes for little ones.

Hand-me-downs
Hand-me-downs are seriously my favorite way to acquire clothes for G. They are free and I have been fortunate to have friends that take really good care of their daughters' clothing. It's nice if you have someone that you can cycle through with, but if not, take what you can get.

Gift Lists
Friends and family often ask what they can get G for various occasions and I always suggest clothes. Many people love to purchase cute little outfits for your itty bitty...so make the suggestion! And let's be honest, most of our kids have more than enough toys anyway.

Clearance Racks
This one can be a little tricky. Sometimes it's hard to gauge what size they will be in the following year when you're buying seasonal clothing. I lucked out last year. I bought an adorable patriotic outfit for G at one of my favorite children's clothing stores for $3! It fit her perfectly the following summer. It goes to show that you can find some really great deals if you're willing to sift through the racks.

Thrift Stores and Consignment Sales
You can often find great scores at local thrift stores and consignment sales. I recently picked up several pairs of pants for G for about $2 a piece. Granted these deals may not be as good as some of your yard sale finds, but considering we don't personally see many yard sales come November, I'd say this isn't too bad. I suggest when it comes to large consignment sales that you wait until their discount days to shop. While you may not have as vast of a selection as you would have on previous days, you can score some great clothes for super cheap.

Online
Such public domains such as Craigslist and Facebook house many opportunites for good finds. We've bought several larger items (e.g. treadmill and shelves) and over the last week tapped into the baby/kids section. Just this past weekend I acquired 6 pairs of pants, 4 pairs of leggings, G's Halloween costume for next year, and two nice winter coats for $25. Most of the coats I've been eyeing for G have averaged at least $20-25, so I'd say this was a good deal. (Disclaimer: You may not feel comfortable meeting strangers to obtain your items and that is okay. My hubby has stepped in many times to either come along or he'll pick them up...always at a public meeting place.)

The Shops
There are several stores that I enjoy shopping in if I can catch a good sale.

The Children's Place and Crazy 8: I love their adorable clothes and they have customer rewards, which is always nice.

Khols: I've purchased several clothing items for G in the past from their online site. The deals were great and of course you can earn Khols cash.

Sam's Club: I know you're probably thinking, what?! Yes! We have had a membership for years and I have bought multiple items for G while doing our bulk shopping. They carry great clothes for kids and have them very reasonably priced. In fact, G's Thanksgiving outfit came from there last year.

I hope this helps if you find yourself in a similar situation. There is no sense in going broke just to keep your kid clothed.

*I was not compensated in anyway to suggest these businesses.

Linking up with Leslyn

Life Verse

Our little girl laughing it up in the pumpkin patch...

When we learned that our journey to baby would include a battle with infertility, we began to examine some things in our lives. Our prayers changed from focusing on what we wanted to what God wanted for us. We longed for a child but knew God, in His infinite wisdom, would fill our hearts' desire  in His time and in His way.

While this wasn't always easy as you can see, it was necessary to change our focus from an earthly here and now to a Heaven-ward patience. During that time of waiting I recalled a former camp staff worker telling me that her parents designated a specific verse for each one of their children. I began to think on this grand idea and sought a life verse to pray for our non-existent child. I was led to the verse in 1 Samuel 1:27.

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This verse became a promise from God to my heart. It gave me comfort when other words could not. I prayed that verse in future tense throughout our TTC journey and my pregnancy. I have that verse placed inside or on many of our daughter's items. I want her to never forget how loved and longed for she was and is.

Quite some time ago we began to pray for God to once again grow our family. I began to seek a life verse to pray for our future child. I was led to Job 5:9.

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This verse sums up my thoughts on TTC with infertility. Every child is a true miraculous blessing, and when you have trouble conceiving it seems to strengthen that understanding all the more. I kept a journal for our daughter from the time I found out we were expecting. Her life verse is on one of the pages and it provides a way for me to track memories for her as she grows. I look forward to passing it along to her one day.

Several months ago i began a journal for the next miracle that will prayerfully make its way into our arms. The verse from Job can be found on the first page. In this journal I've been keeping our thoughts and prayers for this unknown child since we began this new journey. I know God will perform a wonder that will bring joy to our hearts. I trust Him to perform a miracle.

We all have special ways of honoring our journeys. I'd love to hear about yours!

By the way, if you missed my last Mama Mondays post filled with our recent family pictures, you can check it out here!

Linking up with Leslyn

Family Photos 2014

Traditionally, my hubby and I have pictures taken in the fall that we eventually use for our Christmas cards. In the past I've taken our pictures with the help of my camera's timer and tripod. Once we had G, I was no longer able to get quality pictures that way. I enlisted the services of my dear friend and amazing photographer, Shay. We've utilized her many times and we're always pleased with her work.

This fall, the calendar has filled up so quickly for all of us. We were nearing crunch time for this fall's peak foliage and knew we needed to make some plans. A good buddy, and fellow co-worker, of my husband does photography when he is not at the fire house. To my delight, he just happened to have a free weekend. Frank met us at our home and we traveled the short distance to a local camp. Granted, it's not just any camp, it's the camp where my hubby and I first met.

We were blessed with a beautiful afternoon and a very talented friend. Here are a few of my favorites (and truthfully, I love them all but I thought 70+ pictures might be a little overwhelming.)

Linking up with Leslyn for Mama Mondays!

 



18 Months

In the blink of an eye, our infant has grown into near "toddlerdom". On Sunday our little miracle turned 18 months old. I'm allowing myself to call her a baby until she turns two. She amazes us daily. She's picking up on words, emotions and habits. I never knew I could be so in love. There are moments I catch myself in awe of our red headed beauty and I've been known to cry on occasion.  I can't help myself.  I consider myself completely honored to have carried her in my womb for a precious 37 1/2 weeks and now, as I look upon her 18 month milestone I struggle to grasp how quickly the time has gone.

Our road to conception was not easy. I treasured my pregnancy and still count myself blessed to have been able to carry her. I am honored and humbled that the Lord chose me to be her mother. I could not have asked for a more perfect blessing.

I pray daily for her future...Both immediate and distant. One of the most important things a mother can do is bathe her babe in prayer.

Ok, I'm getting super sentimental over here. So, let's move on to G's 18 months stats.

Stats: 
Weight: We’ll know October 21st.

Height: 2' 7"

-Clothing: 24 months/2T

-Shoe size: 4-5

Meal time: You are still a great eater. You still aren't eating as much as you once were but you are still eating well. You're healthy and that is what is important. You are a huge fan of Nilla Wafers, macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets and green peas. You still love all things fruit and you tolerate most vegetables. You have added to your list of allergies...which thankfully is not too long. Not only can you not eat ketchup but now you cannot eat yogurt. It breaks your face out in a serious rash. The crazy thing is that you can eat all other things dairy without any issues. You love yogurt so we hope we can attempt it again at some point. You eat well with a fork and are working on using a spoon. You love your high chair...so much so that you want to sit in it even when you are no longer hungry.

Playtime: We got you a rocking horse and you love to ride it...you could be a cowgirl. You also love riding your motorcycle. It plays a lot of music and if there is music, you are going to dance. You wave your hands and shake your little body. It melts our hearts. One of your favorite toys at the moment is your baby stroller. You thoroughly enjoy pushing Chicken and Bella around. The newest member of your tote-around crew is Mo-Mo the giraffe. Bella is still your favorite but Mo-Mo is a hold tight second. He goes almost as many places as Bella does. You've also been dabbling in coloring with crayons and painting. I adore helping you be creative.

Sleepy time: Your morning naps vary. Sometimes you can easily go without one and then you lay down for your afternoon nap around 1-1:30p.m. This usually occurs on Sundays since church kind of interferes with your morning nap time. Otherwise, you still take two naps a day. You lay down around 10 a.m. and sleep for 45 minutes to an hour. Your afternoon nap happens around 2:30 and you sleep for about an hour to an hour and a half. Gone are the days of 2-3 hours naps. You generally sleep through the night unless you're not feeling well. You lay down around 8 p.m. and wake between 5:30 and 6:00 a.m.

Memorable moments:

-You keep adding teeth. In fact you've cut 6 more over the last 3 months. Total number?  13!

-You had Hand, Foot and Mouth...again. You ran a 103 fever for about two days. You hardly slept or ate thanks to some painful mouth blisters.

-You joined Mommy for our back to school night...and you were a big hit.

-You had your first four-wheeler ride.

-We took a four-wheeler ride around our new property. Someday we'll build our forever home where many more of your childhood memories will be made.

-You got to meet your newest little friend who was born late September.

-You had your first ice cream cone.

-You had your first face paint.

-You took a "Mom and Me" trip to see Aunt Lala in Washington, D.C. for the first time.

-Your favorite book is Llama Llama Red Pajama.

Linking up with Leslyn

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Outdoor Romps and Recalls

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Last weekend we celebrated the 1st birthday of one of G's little buddies. There was cake, grilling and a playground...perfection. We enjoyed the beautiful fall weather and time with friends.

After such a fun weekend it was hard to manage through such a long and trying week. The full moon theory was in full swing at our elementary school. If any skeptics want proof, hang around in our hallways during the next full moon phase.

Fortunately we did survive and greeted the weekend with open arms. My hubby was finally home so we had made plans to visit the local pumpkin patch. We woke up to rain. With no end in sight, we made other plans...or should I say plans were made for us.

I opened up an email reporting a diaper wipe recall. I've been purchasing G's diaper wipes (Simply Right brand) from Sam's for a while now. They provide great quality for a very reasonable price. Both of those factors had to be put aside on Saturday. The email I received indicated that there was a potential contamination of the wipes and all unused wipes needed to be returned (for a full refund of course).

First thing that morning we headed to the store and returned the wipes...no questions asked. The recall is regarding a possible bacteria contamination. The bacteria in question is B. cepacia. It is a natural occurring bacteria that generally does not pose concerns to healthy individuals. However, people with lower immune systems or with Cystic Fibrosis are at a higher risk for complications. Of course the symptoms are fever, cough, congestion, and wheezing...much like cold symptoms, which appears to be having a lot of folks freaking out. G has been dealing with nasal drainage since the weather change a few weeks ago. I'm just keeping an eye on her and of course will talk to my doctor at her appointment next Tuesday.

We of course purchased another brand of wipes and will use them until we hear otherwise. After swapping the wipes we ran a few errands and came home to enjoy just being home. It seems like our time together is so much less these days. We've been aware of this over the last few weeks and are diligently trying to ensure that we spend as much family time as possible. Yes we have to work and yes we have obligations, but I want G's childhood memories to be filled with us, her family. These are days we'll never get back and we are intentionally trying to make the most of them. She is the best investment we'll ever make.



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Linking up with Leslyn

A Time for Everything

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It's been a week of highs and lows...

Let me start from the beginning. Last weekend, after yet another agonizing and yet promising TWW, we discovered that we were once again not pregnant. You would think after continuous months of negatives that I'd be numb or would have found a better way to cope...but nope. I let my hopes fade and the tears fall. Crying is truly therapeutic.

That same weekend I spent a wonderful time with my friend and her daughter at a fall festival and celebrated the birth of our dear friends' little boy. These were such good moments.

These moments were soon overshadowed by some heartbreaking news. My husband's best friend (since elementary school) and his wife lost their 3 month old son to SIDS. I got a call from my husband on Tuesday. He rarely calls up to work but I didn't immediately think anything was wrong. He then proceeded to tell me the tragic news. I could not wrap my brain around it. My heart was and remains so grieved for this family.

Thursday night we went to the Family Visitation at the funeral home. It was seriously one of the saddest experiences I've ever had. I had no words of comfort. I prayed continually as we waited in line to speak to the family. I whispered words to the Heavens as I watched the child's mother stare longingly at the picture slide show as the father took the condolences. I will never forget the pain I saw in his eyes as my husband went up to him and hugged him. As I watched these two strong men cry together my heart broke even more.

I took off work on Friday to attend the graveside service.

The drizzle and drear seemed appropriate for the emotions of the day. We watched as the father carried his son's casket to the area where the service would be held. We gripped each others hands as the mother and remaining immediate family walked past us with tears in their eyes. I looked around at people, bringing love and support for this family, and thought how amazing it was that this tiny little life had touched so many. The service was as sweet as one could be under the circumstances and the message of God's goodness, grace and mercy were woven throughout. The beautiful truth for those who have Christ as their Savior is that death is not the end. I remember that as the service was ending and we all stood in silence, the clouds gave way to sunlight. I couldn't help but think that it was God's way of reiterating that there are still good things to come. While it may take a lot of time for this promise to become a comfort, it is my prayer that it will become just that.

I share this for several reasons.

First, this past week has been a major struggle and I've relied so heavily on my God for understanding, comfort, wisdom and discernment. It is my belief our friends' little one's 103 days on earth were purposeful and that his death, regardless how unfair it seems to our earthly minds, will indefinitely make an impact in Heaven. His passing has drawn me to the Lord in ways that I have not visited in a very long time.

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Secondly, I have delved into the truths found in God's Word for comfort. I've been connecting with God on a whole new level while dealing with our infertility. This connection has only deepened as I've sought after the Lord during this time of darkness. I desperately want to serve as a light for this grieving family and can only do so through His strength, because lets face it, I've been crying on and off since Tuesday and without His help, I'd be no good for anyone.

Lastly, I share this because I want you to hug your little ones a little tighter. Remember that these angels are granted to us to care for, lead, guide and raise in a way that will set them apart and bring glory to God. Love your children fiercely. Appreciate every moment. Get over the messes and embrace them. Every fingerprint, every Cheerio underfoot is something to appreciate.

I know this wasn't an easy read and I appreciate you bearing with me. Please keep our friends in your prayers. The days, weeks, months and years will continue to bring pain with each first that "should have been" and every holiday to come.

Linking up with Leslyn

Can Someone Tell Me How?!

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I am in the midst of planning a girls' weekender with a couple of great gals. The only thing that has me anxious (besides the 5k I'll be participating in while severely out of shape) is leaving G for the first time overnight. Well, two nights if we're getting technical. I know this sounds stupid. She will be left in my husband's very capable hands and I'll only be about 3 hours or so away, but still. I'm really struggling with how I'm going to do this and not allow my worry and the fact that I know I'll miss her like crazy ruin the weekend. I adore the ladies I'll be going with and I know it will be fun. I'm just worried that this mommy will have a really tough time not tucking her little one in at night.

I'll be honest, this anxiety has been coming from some personal things I've been dealing with. We continue our battle with infertility and the reality that she may be the only little one we're ever blessed with makes my heart both rejoice (for at least being blessed with her) and grieve. It makes me want to cling to every single moment I have with her, but in reality I know that I can't lose who I am either. She needs to see her mom as a woman as well. ::sigh:: While I know these are personal issues I'll continue to bathe in prayer, I'm still in need of something, anything that will help this go smoothly.

So, my question to all of you with more experience and/or advice is, how do I do it?! I am in serious need of some insight. Thanks in advance!